havdalah

noun

variants or less commonly habdalah
often capitalized
: a Jewish ceremony marking the close of a Sabbath or holy day

Examples of havdalah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Two weeks after losing my father-in-law, our friend (the wife of the lasagna-bearer) gave me the link to celebrate a havdalah at 8:15 p.m. with her wider Jewish community on Zoom. Sarah Ruhl, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2020 The family-friendly celebration will include a havdalah service, menorah lighting, the Hanukkah story and seasonal songs. Elizabeth Marie Himchak, Pomerado News, 14 Dec. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'havdalah.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew habhdālāh separation

First Known Use

1733, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of havdalah was in 1733

Dictionary Entries Near havdalah

Cite this Entry

“Havdalah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/havdalah. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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